Photo by author. I actually completed these about a month or so ago but have not had time to sit down a write about the process. What was supposed to be a quick and easy project to do in one month…was not! Photo by author. Project Info Pattern: Mitts pattern from the AD Guide to 18th c. Dressmaking + the custom bias sleeve pattern I developed from the Patterns of Fashion I under-sleeve pattern Size: Custom fitted Fabric: 100% wool twill, lightweight but on the stiff, springy side and a cream moire taffeta (using the non-moire side) which is probably acetate, both from my stash and previously o ..read more

For 2023 I decided to mostly include projects which either build on eras I have already done or or which I already have the materials (I’ve marked these with an asterisk.) This is because I need first and foremost to prioritize finishing my thesis. Most of the projects also require very little fitting, as that takes up a lot of mental space. These are meant to be more mindless projects for evenings when I want to sew after a long day of thinking hard about my thesis. 18th Century Mitts* using the American Duchess book Cloak* using Laughing Moon #135 1790s I’ve actually got a pair of jumps f ..read more

Back when I made my first regency gown, I meant to make detachable undersleeves for it. Alas, the fabric yardage was off and I did not have enough to do so. I went a little overboard buying extra of the fabric for my new regency gown, so I decided to finally make undersleeves. Photo by author. I looked through all my pattern books, but many did not have patterns for just an undersleeve, or they were more of an 18th c. cut which would have eaten up more fabric. Fortunately, Patterns of Fashion I had the perfect undersleeve pattern. I decided to use this for the HSM challenge “Fitting” because t ..read more

After making a fichu, it opened my eyes to historical neckwear. As you immerse yourself more and more in a period, you become more attuned to what pieces make an outfit look more finished and a chemisette is one of those pieces. I decided I wanted to take my white dress I made in the summer to the next level, with some new accessories and gave myself a Jane Austen tea in December as my target deadline. Photo by author. The nice thing about this project was I was able to make it completely from stash materials. They weren’t ideal. The batiste pills and is a little too drapey and the lace ruffle ..read more

I have been working steadily on my Edwardian undergarments from Folkwear 203. Since starting it I added a bustle pad to my To Sew for Victorian Stroll list. I looked at several pattern and went with the one from Black Snail because it has size option, and uses batting instead of stuffing which I already have on hand. If you buy Black Snail’s Fantail Skirt pattern it is included, but you can get just the bustle pad for free on their blog. There are much more detailed instructions, with photos, on the blog for making the bustle pad. Drawers Photos by author. The most exciting update is that o ..read more

Photo by author. I have had this copy of Folkwear 203, which is the original early 1980s print run, for years and years. I pulled it out a few weeks ago because I need it for my outfit I am working on the annual Victorian Stroll. I had originally planned to do a bustle era outfit but I don’t have the resources for that at the moment, so my backup plan is to do an 1890s look as I already have a lot of items I can use for that. For now I am making just the drawers and petticoat, but if I have enough fabric and trim left maybe I will try the camisole eventually. I have made good headway on the dr ..read more

Photo by author. June Challenge Theme “At the Museum: Be inspired by the items and research available in museums and archives.” Fabric from extant gown. Image from Augusta Auctions. My object of inspiration was the textile in this gown, which was previously part of the Suddon-Cleaver Costume Collection. Below you can see the gown in its entirety. I didn’t have the time to try to recreate the gown exactly, unfortunately, so I was merely inspired by the fabric and the general time period. Image from Augusta Auctions.Image from August Auctions. I actually found the fabric before coming across the ..read more

For the Historical Sew Monthly July challenge I am making a bodiced petticoat. The challenge’s theme is “geometry.” I had already started this garment as part of my ongoing thesis research, but I will need it for an event later this month to go under my newest regency gown. Having this type of deadline is an excellent way to motivate myself to finish it! As anyone who has gone down the rabbit hole of regency-era bodiced petticoats will know, there is very little information to be had. Even the term “bodiced petticoat” is a modern moniker. So I put together here what information I was able to f ..read more

Amazingly, it will have only taken me just over a month to nearly complete this project! I’m pretty slow at sewing, even by machine, so I wasn’t feeling too positive about hand-sewing this. Fortunately I’d already made my mock-up last year, but I did have to do another fitting. What I didn’t anticipate was that hand sewing gives one more opportunities to work on a project. It is quiet and portable so I’ve sewn while hanging out in the evenings with my partner, and also when meeting up with friends. Photo by author. I completed the bodice earlier this week at a library program. Since then I’ve ..read more

In my last post I introduced my newest project for the Historical Sew Monthly’s June challenge. (It doesn’t actually matter in what order you do the challenges.) The cutting out, as usual was the most difficult and time consuming step. I did cut one sleeve wrong, and I accidentally cut the skirt with the train, which is more appropriate for a JASNA retreat anyways, since trains were popular for longer in England. Once it was cut, I re-wrote out the instructions, with a side column marking “hand sewing” or “machine sewing.” I am pleased with this method, because I can quickly pick a step based ..read more